These sculptures were put up on several private properties owned by Japanese billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto over the past 20 years. Mr. Kawamoto was well known for buying many of these properties for millions of dollars, and then letting most of them fall into disrepair and neglect. On a few of them, he had these sculptures erected much to the dismay of neighboring property owners and residents of the high end neighborhood.
After being fined by the City & County of Honolulu for property blight and neglect, and also getting in trouble for non-payment of taxes in Japan, Mr. Kawamoto decided to sell most of his Hawaii properties.
The parcels were sold to Alexander and Baldwin (A & B) for $98 million. The new owners plan to renovate and redevelop the properties and eventually sell them off. The tacky sculptures were the first things to go as A & B brought in equipment to have them removed. Where they went no one knows.
Needless to say Mr. Kawamoto's Kahala neighbors are happy that the neglected properties are now sold.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Photos by macprohawaii.com
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